how do you describe your sense of place where are the edges in your world can
where are the edges in your world can
where are the edges in your world can you taste the Sun I paint a sense of
you taste the Sun I paint a sense of
you taste the Sun I paint a sense of place through paint in a program note to
place through paint in a program note to
place through paint in a program note to Maria I ran for neces play mud
Maria I ran for neces play mud
Maria I ran for neces play mud I read the possibility of being creative
I read the possibility of being creative
I read the possibility of being creative depends not on being shy with one’s
depends not on being shy with one’s
depends not on being shy with one’s intimate self and not being fearful for
intimate self and not being fearful for
intimate self and not being fearful for one’s personal standing we must take
one’s personal standing we must take
one’s personal standing we must take very delicate chances delicate because
very delicate chances delicate because
very delicate chances delicate because they are dangerous and delicate because
they are dangerous and delicate because
they are dangerous and delicate because they are subtle so subtle that while we
they are subtle so subtle that while we
they are subtle so subtle that while we experience a personal terror it could be
experience a personal terror it could be
experience a personal terror it could be that no one will notice I do not
that no one will notice I do not
that no one will notice I do not consider myself a writer by trade I am a
consider myself a writer by trade I am a
consider myself a writer by trade I am a painter my tools ground pigments oils
painter my tools ground pigments oils
painter my tools ground pigments oils solvents graphite and charcoal are the
solvents graphite and charcoal are the
solvents graphite and charcoal are the characters I use to describe my sense of
characters I use to describe my sense of
characters I use to describe my sense of place I have spent the past 32 years
place I have spent the past 32 years
place I have spent the past 32 years probing the secrets of this world with
probing the secrets of this world with
probing the secrets of this world with paint and blunt instruments whose faint
paint and blunt instruments whose faint
paint and blunt instruments whose faint tracks form my words and phrases
tracks form my words and phrases
tracks form my words and phrases unfortunately there is no dictionary for
unfortunately there is no dictionary for
unfortunately there is no dictionary for the words I use brush strokes have few
the words I use brush strokes have few
the words I use brush strokes have few meaningful cognates and there is no way
meaningful cognates and there is no way
meaningful cognates and there is no way to decipher my painted language and
to decipher my painted language and
to decipher my painted language and while some colors evoke common responses
while some colors evoke common responses
while some colors evoke common responses those responses are often biased seen
those responses are often biased seen
those responses are often biased seen through sentiment or nostalgia colors
through sentiment or nostalgia colors
through sentiment or nostalgia colors and brush strokes cannot be relied on to
and brush strokes cannot be relied on to
and brush strokes cannot be relied on to be read or understood consistently
be read or understood consistently
be read or understood consistently clearly some of my paintings will never
clearly some of my paintings will never
clearly some of my paintings will never be understood at all I paint a sense of
be understood at all I paint a sense of
be understood at all I paint a sense of place
place
place through paint here’s what I said about
through paint here’s what I said about
through paint here’s what I said about my paintings about 15 years ago plainly
my paintings about 15 years ago plainly
my paintings about 15 years ago plainly put the painting subject is paint by the
put the painting subject is paint by the
put the painting subject is paint by the formal disposition of one color field
formal disposition of one color field
formal disposition of one color field upon the next or proximal and by
upon the next or proximal and by
upon the next or proximal and by concurring deductions
concurring deductions
concurring deductions erosions concealments and cancellations
erosions concealments and cancellations
erosions concealments and cancellations a rich peripheral deposit evolves
a rich peripheral deposit evolves
a rich peripheral deposit evolves borders and adjacent seas that inventory
borders and adjacent seas that inventory
borders and adjacent seas that inventory acts of paint submerge in subsequent
acts of paint submerge in subsequent
acts of paint submerge in subsequent acts a digest of past process after the
acts a digest of past process after the
acts a digest of past process after the broad laying of the paintings
broad laying of the paintings
broad laying of the paintings constitutive fields these lean
constitutive fields these lean
constitutive fields these lean insinuated shards emerge paradoxically
insinuated shards emerge paradoxically
insinuated shards emerge paradoxically refined the wetted edge of a work that
refined the wetted edge of a work that
refined the wetted edge of a work that eschews impertinence by the mere
eschews impertinence by the mere
eschews impertinence by the mere strictness and specificity of its
strictness and specificity of its
strictness and specificity of its intention an installation of time in
intention an installation of time in
intention an installation of time in paint
paint
paint I still believe all of that is true but
I still believe all of that is true but
I still believe all of that is true but today I have softened a bit I give a
today I have softened a bit I give a
today I have softened a bit I give a great deal of credit to the landscape
great deal of credit to the landscape
great deal of credit to the landscape both internal and external for
both internal and external for
both internal and external for composition and color influences I give
composition and color influences I give
composition and color influences I give credit to my mood I paint about my place
credit to my mood I paint about my place
credit to my mood I paint about my place in the world I paint the things I see
in the world I paint the things I see
in the world I paint the things I see and feel and yet my engagement with the
and feel and yet my engagement with the
and feel and yet my engagement with the paint itself actually applying pigments
paint itself actually applying pigments
paint itself actually applying pigments to various streps substrates in order to
to various streps substrates in order to
to various streps substrates in order to make some sense of it all is what it’s
make some sense of it all is what it’s
make some sense of it all is what it’s all about I paint a sense of place
all about I paint a sense of place
all about I paint a sense of place through paint the artist Paul clay tells
through paint the artist Paul clay tells
through paint the artist Paul clay tells the artist to adapt himself to the
the artist to adapt himself to the
the artist to adapt himself to the contents of the paint box adapting
contents of the paint box adapting
contents of the paint box adapting yourself to the contents of the paint
yourself to the contents of the paint
yourself to the contents of the paint box he said is more important than
box he said is more important than
box he said is more important than nature and its study the painter in
nature and its study the painter in
nature and its study the painter in other words does not fit the world to
other words does not fit the world to
other words does not fit the world to himself
himself
himself he fits himself to the paint annie
he fits himself to the paint annie
he fits himself to the paint annie dillard in her essay a writer in the
dillard in her essay a writer in the
dillard in her essay a writer in the world relays an amusing story she writes
world relays an amusing story she writes
world relays an amusing story she writes a well-known writer got collared by a
a well-known writer got collared by a
a well-known writer got collared by a university student who asked do you
university student who asked do you
university student who asked do you think I could be a writer well said the
think I could be a writer well said the
think I could be a writer well said the writer I don’t know do you like
writer I don’t know do you like
writer I don’t know do you like sentences the writer could see the
sentences the writer could see the
sentences the writer could see the students amazement sentences
students amazement sentences
students amazement sentences do I like sentences well if he had liked
do I like sentences well if he had liked
do I like sentences well if he had liked sentences he could have begun painting
sentences he could have begun painting
sentences he could have begun painting is my vocation I am a plotter
is my vocation I am a plotter
is my vocation I am a plotter I love to work and rework a painting
I love to work and rework a painting
I love to work and rework a painting surface I love the stuff of painting the
surface I love the stuff of painting the
surface I love the stuff of painting the smell and feel of it the tubes and cans
smell and feel of it the tubes and cans
smell and feel of it the tubes and cans the brushes the canvas the paper the
the brushes the canvas the paper the
the brushes the canvas the paper the carefully mitered corners of the
carefully mitered corners of the
carefully mitered corners of the stretcher bar the thick glossy graphite
stretcher bar the thick glossy graphite
stretcher bar the thick glossy graphite of an 8b pencil the soft crumbling line
of an 8b pencil the soft crumbling line
of an 8b pencil the soft crumbling line of vine charcoal is this paint too thick
of vine charcoal is this paint too thick
of vine charcoal is this paint too thick or too thin how much turpentine how much
or too thin how much turpentine how much
or too thin how much turpentine how much linseed oil where did this ochre pigment
linseed oil where did this ochre pigment
linseed oil where did this ochre pigment come from whose bones were carbonized to
come from whose bones were carbonized to
come from whose bones were carbonized to make this black
I knew that I loved paint from the
I knew that I loved paint from the beginning but it took me some time to
beginning but it took me some time to
beginning but it took me some time to realize that my liking the stuff of
realize that my liking the stuff of
realize that my liking the stuff of painting like the author liking
painting like the author liking
painting like the author liking sentences was the really important thing
sentences was the really important thing
sentences was the really important thing foundational my explorations in paint
foundational my explorations in paint
foundational my explorations in paint like the author fashioning the sentences
like the author fashioning the sentences
like the author fashioning the sentences of a short story connecting words to
of a short story connecting words to
of a short story connecting words to illuminate our deepest probing is the
illuminate our deepest probing is the
illuminate our deepest probing is the same as connecting the edges of a field
same as connecting the edges of a field
same as connecting the edges of a field of warm white or deep blue gray pigment
of warm white or deep blue gray pigment
of warm white or deep blue gray pigment to 10 or 15 layers of varying shades of
to 10 or 15 layers of varying shades of
to 10 or 15 layers of varying shades of pink green or cool white on a substrate
pink green or cool white on a substrate
pink green or cool white on a substrate of stretched canvas paper or panel each
of stretched canvas paper or panel each
of stretched canvas paper or panel each of these forms of exploration the short
of these forms of exploration the short
of these forms of exploration the short story and the painting can connect us to
story and the painting can connect us to
story and the painting can connect us to a world of deeper understanding I paint
a world of deeper understanding I paint
a world of deeper understanding I paint a sense of place through paint I paint
a sense of place through paint I paint
a sense of place through paint I paint exclusively in my studio I paint from
exclusively in my studio I paint from
exclusively in my studio I paint from memory sometimes I see something so
memory sometimes I see something so
memory sometimes I see something so moving I know I’m not supposed to linger
moving I know I’m not supposed to linger
moving I know I’m not supposed to linger see it and leave I don’t take a picture
see it and leave I don’t take a picture
see it and leave I don’t take a picture of it I make a memory of it trust it and
of it I make a memory of it trust it and
of it I make a memory of it trust it and take it back to the studio as a delivery
take it back to the studio as a delivery
take it back to the studio as a delivery device for understanding painting is
device for understanding painting is
device for understanding painting is slow painting is a slow art form the
slow painting is a slow art form the
slow painting is a slow art form the drips and splatters in my painting may
drips and splatters in my painting may
drips and splatters in my painting may suggest a force and quickness of motion
suggest a force and quickness of motion
suggest a force and quickness of motion and thought but those moments are just
and thought but those moments are just
and thought but those moments are just intermittent bursts between long
intermittent bursts between long
intermittent bursts between long intimate pauses setting the stage for
intimate pauses setting the stage for
intimate pauses setting the stage for those bursts of activity take time and
those bursts of activity take time and
those bursts of activity take time and contemplation I trust intuition I employ
contemplation I trust intuition I employ
contemplation I trust intuition I employ chance and I trust my memory
chance and I trust my memory
chance and I trust my memory those bursts of painting are a response
those bursts of painting are a response
those bursts of painting are a response to silence henry david thoreau urged us
to silence henry david thoreau urged us
to silence henry david thoreau urged us more than a century and a half ago to
more than a century and a half ago to
more than a century and a half ago to pay attention to silence he writes there
pay attention to silence he writes there
pay attention to silence he writes there are many fine things which we cannot say
are many fine things which we cannot say
are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout he also said I
if we have to shout he also said I
if we have to shout he also said I wished to hear the silence of the night
wished to hear the silence of the night
wished to hear the silence of the night for the silence is something positive
for the silence is something positive
for the silence is something positive and to be heard it’s difficult to think
and to be heard it’s difficult to think
and to be heard it’s difficult to think of silence as something positive and to
of silence as something positive and to
of silence as something positive and to be heard in a culture that wants to fill
be heard in a culture that wants to fill
be heard in a culture that wants to fill every moment with distraction where
every moment with distraction where
every moment with distraction where screaming passes for substance and a
screaming passes for substance and a
screaming passes for substance and a human trainwreck is entertainment
painting mandates that we engage if we
painting mandates that we engage if we are to receive its gifts it requires us
are to receive its gifts it requires us
are to receive its gifts it requires us to look and accept it in silence and
to look and accept it in silence and
to look and accept it in silence and allow its gifts to slowly unfold I
allow its gifts to slowly unfold I
allow its gifts to slowly unfold I choose my colors carefully or perhaps
choose my colors carefully or perhaps
choose my colors carefully or perhaps they choose me I have not made friends
they choose me I have not made friends
they choose me I have not made friends with some colors I’m not sure if I just
with some colors I’m not sure if I just
with some colors I’m not sure if I just haven’t found the right painting for
haven’t found the right painting for
haven’t found the right painting for them or if perhaps they are the wrong
them or if perhaps they are the wrong
them or if perhaps they are the wrong words the wrong characters colors that I
words the wrong characters colors that I
words the wrong characters colors that I would never use because they are vulgar
would never use because they are vulgar
would never use because they are vulgar or hurtful
or hurtful
or hurtful perhaps I should treat them as opponents
perhaps I should treat them as opponents
perhaps I should treat them as opponents a worthy debating partner with an
a worthy debating partner with an
a worthy debating partner with an opposing point of view when I begin a
opposing point of view when I begin a
opposing point of view when I begin a painting I start with large fields of
painting I start with large fields of
painting I start with large fields of rich saturated color they are hot
rich saturated color they are hot
rich saturated color they are hot vibrant colors the colors are close to
vibrant colors the colors are close to
vibrant colors the colors are close to their original chroma and tint directly
their original chroma and tint directly
their original chroma and tint directly from the tube as the painting evolves
from the tube as the painting evolves
from the tube as the painting evolves each subsequent layer is a direct
each subsequent layer is a direct
each subsequent layer is a direct response to the previous layer as the
response to the previous layer as the
response to the previous layer as the composition of the painting begins to
composition of the painting begins to
composition of the painting begins to emerge the colors become more muted and
emerge the colors become more muted and
emerge the colors become more muted and personal they begin to relate more to
personal they begin to relate more to
personal they begin to relate more to the memory
the memory
the memory I’m trying to portray the underpainting
I’m trying to portray the underpainting
I’m trying to portray the underpainting recedes oftentimes there is just a small
recedes oftentimes there is just a small
recedes oftentimes there is just a small edge a shard of color remaining where
edge a shard of color remaining where
edge a shard of color remaining where two or more edges converge the edges are
two or more edges converge the edges are
two or more edges converge the edges are where it all happens where the past and
where it all happens where the past and
where it all happens where the past and present collide and exists together for
present collide and exists together for
present collide and exists together for a brief moment sometimes the color field
a brief moment sometimes the color field
a brief moment sometimes the color field is completely obscured but that doesn’t
is completely obscured but that doesn’t
is completely obscured but that doesn’t negate the colors influence the color
negate the colors influence the color
negate the colors influence the color field still exists it is still an
field still exists it is still an
field still exists it is still an integral part of the painting with all
integral part of the painting with all
integral part of the painting with all its power and meaning still intact I
its power and meaning still intact I
its power and meaning still intact I think that is one of the things I like
think that is one of the things I like
think that is one of the things I like most about painting that unlike writing
most about painting that unlike writing
most about painting that unlike writing or moving pictures the editing I do in a
or moving pictures the editing I do in a
or moving pictures the editing I do in a painting is still part of the painting
painting is still part of the painting
painting is still part of the painting all of the process is there the
all of the process is there the
all of the process is there the experience of the painting remains whole
experience of the painting remains whole
experience of the painting remains whole and connected the art of the artist
and connected the art of the artist
and connected the art of the artist Philip Guston says a painter has two
Philip Guston says a painter has two
Philip Guston says a painter has two choices he paints the world or himself
choices he paints the world or himself
choices he paints the world or himself and I think the best painting that’s
and I think the best painting that’s
and I think the best painting that’s done here is when the artist paints
done here is when the artist paints
done here is when the artist paints himself in this environment in this
himself in this environment in this
himself in this environment in this total situation I paint a sense of place
total situation I paint a sense of place
total situation I paint a sense of place through paint for many years I made a
through paint for many years I made a
through paint for many years I made a living in fine dining when I was working
living in fine dining when I was working
living in fine dining when I was working in Napa Valley one of my Jobs was to
in Napa Valley one of my Jobs was to
in Napa Valley one of my Jobs was to judge a wines to pissah tea and evaluate
judge a wines to pissah tea and evaluate
judge a wines to pissah tea and evaluate its expression of terroir terroir is a
its expression of terroir terroir is a
its expression of terroir terroir is a wine term used to describe the wines
wine term used to describe the wines
wine term used to describe the wines ability to express its sense of place in
ability to express its sense of place in
ability to express its sense of place in other words it’s the wines ability
other words it’s the wines ability
other words it’s the wines ability ability to communicate where it came
ability to communicate where it came
ability to communicate where it came from how much sunlight did it receive
from how much sunlight did it receive
from how much sunlight did it receive how much rain was there wind when a wine
how much rain was there wind when a wine
how much rain was there wind when a wine has expressive terroir you can taste the
has expressive terroir you can taste the
has expressive terroir you can taste the composition of the soil you can taste
composition of the soil you can taste
composition of the soil you can taste the minerals and rocks
the minerals and rocks
the minerals and rocks in which the roots were entangled you
in which the roots were entangled you
in which the roots were entangled you can taste the herbs and wild flowers
can taste the herbs and wild flowers
can taste the herbs and wild flowers that grow nearby you can taste the Sun
terroir is that weird intersection of
terroir is that weird intersection of the known and unknowable where sunlight
the known and unknowable where sunlight
the known and unknowable where sunlight becomes flavor wind becomes texture and
becomes flavor wind becomes texture and
becomes flavor wind becomes texture and minerals become scent in the best of
minerals become scent in the best of
minerals become scent in the best of circumstances a wine can express many
circumstances a wine can express many
circumstances a wine can express many things in the hands of a master vintner
things in the hands of a master vintner
things in the hands of a master vintner it can express an unnameable quality
it can express an unnameable quality
it can express an unnameable quality that is ethereal inexplicable you can’t
that is ethereal inexplicable you can’t
that is ethereal inexplicable you can’t describe it you just know it I left that
describe it you just know it I left that
describe it you just know it I left that life of fine dining in order to focus on
life of fine dining in order to focus on
life of fine dining in order to focus on the daily practice of painting I had to
the daily practice of painting I had to
the daily practice of painting I had to give up the job but I have not given up
give up the job but I have not given up
give up the job but I have not given up the search for terroir the search for
the search for terroir the search for
the search for terroir the search for that unnameable quality that weird
that unnameable quality that weird
that unnameable quality that weird intersection were the known and
intersection were the known and
intersection were the known and unknowable live I just paint about it
unknowable live I just paint about it
unknowable live I just paint about it now I look for the sublime in places
now I look for the sublime in places
now I look for the sublime in places where great thoughts aren’t rumoured to
where great thoughts aren’t rumoured to
where great thoughts aren’t rumoured to happen I’m not looking for truth or
happen I’m not looking for truth or
happen I’m not looking for truth or accuracy I’m looking for contact and
accuracy I’m looking for contact and
accuracy I’m looking for contact and connection I paint a sense of place
connection I paint a sense of place
connection I paint a sense of place through paint how do you describe your
through paint how do you describe your
through paint how do you describe your sense of place where are the edges in
sense of place where are the edges in
sense of place where are the edges in your world can you taste the Sun thank
your world can you taste the Sun thank
your world can you taste the Sun thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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